Arien Emerald Princess
by brittagirl
Summary: Arien and Colemnae are two of the 11 children of the most powerful man of Alagaesia.When they decide to get back at him for their terrible lives one life will be lost,another will go on for the adventure of a lifetime.May get silly at times!advice welcome
1. The Beginning

A/N: this is my first fic!! please read and review! tell me what you think! All advice welcome! I even welcome flames! whatever helps me become a better writer.  
Disclaimer: I do not own any recognizable people, places, or things. All the rest, is mine.

xoXoxOxoXox

Darkness surrounded me. It held me in its cold embrace for what seemed like eternity. **_Black._** I held my hand in front of my face, not seeing anything I had to wonder, _Do I exist?_ Again I attempted to search for any part of my body. **_Despair_**. Hope left me when I found that I could not move my legs for searing pain wracked through my body. _What is going on? What happened to me?_ Golden light spilled through my eyelids as I cracked them open. I moaned as another wave of white pain flew through me. I heard whispers, smelled wood smoke, and again... I was in Darkness.

xoXoxOxoXox 

A smog clouded my senses as I wavered back into consciousness. "Where am I?" I managed to rasp out. If this is my punishment for running away again then it's the best punishment ever. My watery eyes tear away to reveal a large dark red and purple room well furnished with cushioned sofas and fur carpets. I gazed at the tapestry on the opposite wall and saw, to my distaste, a tapestry with a scene from the Rogue Wars where my father was on top of a hill holding a head of a rogue prisoner declaring victory upon the land once again.

I pulled back the large coverlet from the bed and began to throw my legs over the edge of the bed. Suddenly I felt a constraint against my ankle and heard a loud chinking sound. Shutting my eyes I allowed a tear to escape me and slide down my pale skin. _Locked in._

"You couldn't just shut the door and lock it... you just had to make sure I couldn't move at all." I muttered, cursing my father vehemently.

I watched as my tears fell against the red sheets of the bed I was bound to. The tears soaked up into the sheets leaving small dark stains against the blaring red. It reminded me slightly of my life. How every mistake I made seemed to affect me in a variety of ways and would, with time, fade away... but no matter what they were still there, haunting my every waking step.

When I first moved into the palace with my twin brother Colemnae at the age of ten I considered it an adventure. Colemnae and I would roam the corridors at night and explore all the spare rooms. It took us two years to get caught by a night guard... we never knew there were night guards then because we were very cautious to not go where we were not wanted. Even though they knew who our father was we did not go unpunished. We were forced to work in the Dragohold for two weeks. It was not an entirely bad job until my father brought his dragon in for a visit and threatened us with our lives. That was the day we learned that nowhere was safe. For another 3 months afterward my father had us followed by some henchmen who would not let me do a thing to get my skirts dirty, or in my brother's case his boots. Soon Colemnae and I learned to evade them and eventually my father let us off the punishment and began teaching my brother sword skills. Unfortunately because of my being a girl, I was not permitted to learn the skills my brother learned... but of course because of us being so close he taught me everything my father taught him.

I smiled as an image of Colemnae adjusting my stance flitted before my eyes. He was so kind... so gentle. He knew how to keep me happy in the bleakest of times. My father soon taught him how to use magic... I never understood how my brother got the power to begin with because he never told me. All that I know is that he was gone for a week and a half and he came back with powers. Colemnae used to take me out to the lake in his spare time and teach me words of power. When I asked him to teach me the forbidden words he refused telling me that the words should be used with caution for they drag much power out of a human's life force. I never pressed him for information after that. On our fourteenth birthday my father drew me aside and told me that he would soon be allowing me to learn magic and words of power. I was fairly excited and couldn't wait to tell Colemnae, but my father sensed my thoughts and told me to not tell Colemnae for he was becoming a greedy fiend and only wanted the power for himself. I kept the secret to myself until one morning, a week before our fifteenth birthday... My brother made me very angry.

(FLASH BACK)

_"I will not show you any more magic, Arien!" he yelled frustrated after I had bothered him for over half an hour. "I'm tired and I don't want to exhaust myself anymore than I need to!" _

_I glared at him for a moment but then smiled slyly. "It doesn't matter anyway, brother. For father has told me that I will be learning the words of power very soon myself."_

_ Colemnae sat up from his place by the waterfall... possibly the sunniest spot in the wooded area. "He has agreed to teach you?" he swallowed hard and stared at me fearfully._

_I continued to smile and allowed a little bit of gleeful insanity to touch my eyes, "Yes! Isn't that exciting, Colemnae? Are you not excited that we will be spending more time together, just like in the old days when we lived up north with mother!!"_

_ "No." he hissed gruffly, "No! I will not allow it! I forbid you from using magic with father... I forbid you from letting father teach you how to use it." _

_I looked into his deep green eyes that were slightly covered with his dark brown hair. Unlike me he did not have to dye his hair the royal blonde. He did not have to be restricted by a code of courtly dress. He had everything and he knew it... he was just being greedy. After a moment of silence I whispered heatedly, "Father said that you would be greedy, telling me not to learn magic. He told me that you would want to keep all the power to yourself. I didn't believe him. But now I see that he is right."_

_Colemnae sat down next to me in the grass and took my hands in his. We looked deeply into each others eyes for a moment before he spoke again. "This power is overwhelming. I would gladly share it with anyone if I knew they could handle it. But I know that not even you, the strongest, most stubborn woman on earth, can handle this. I know what my limitations are, and they are few, but I struggle to not pass them. I struggle to not overuse my power. I get greedy with my power and very easily get caught up in projects that are bigger than my strength." _

_Again our eyes met. Just like old times I could feel him saying a million things to me with just one look. I bowed my head and began crying. "I'm sorry Colemnae. It's just... I don't have anything interesting to do and I am just so sick of looking and playing the part of 'the beautiful Princess Dectalia of the castle!'"_

_ He laughed and took my face in his hands and touched our foreheads together. "That is exactly what you are though, Arien. You are not only the most beautiful princess of the castle... but of the land. Everyone knows it, I've heard it said on the streets. When people gather around the walls to watch me and the stable boy sparring, they aren't watching us! They are watching you watching us! You are a sensation among the people! They say that you will make a beautiful Duchess someday! They say you have a heart of pure gold! That you will make Alagaesia a better place!! But to me you are something different. You are Princess Arien, daughter of Josian. You are certainly not Princess Dectalia! Nor will you ever be! You are my sister... My twin sister!! Someday you and I will change this land for the better, you and I will be the best rulers this gods forsaken country has ever had!! No longer will this country live in fear of a man with so much power! They will soon live in a place where there are two rulers, Brother and Sister, who will make sure that there is plenty of food on everyone's table, who will do their best to make sure that the dragons and the people are at peace! Just wait, Arien. Just you wait and see what I have in store for this country once our father is gone."  
_

(End Flash Back)

As I remembered all of this I slipped the sheets back over my head and began to cry uncontrollably. The memory faded into the others in my mind and another fell forward.

(ANOTHER FLASH BACK)

_"Arien!! Arien!! Wake up!!" A familiar voice called me. I pulled the covers from the top of my head and met Colemnae's green eyes._

_"Colemnae! It is so early! Is everything well?" His eyes showed worry and fear, something that I hadn't seen since we were toddlers. "Colemnae? What has happened??"_

_ Next thing I know we are running through the winding corridors and halting in front of our mother's door._

_"What is it, Colemnae?? What is wrong with mother?" _

_He held out is small hand and lead me into our mother's room. We walked up to her bed and I touched her arm. It was burning hot. _

_"Mum's got the fever! Oh Colemnae! What are we going to do?!"_

_ Suddenly the door burst open and a regal man stepped through the door. Although a stranger to us our delirious mother must have known him for she gently leaned her head against the stranger's hands. "Keep them safe." and those were her dying words._

_We were eight._

(End Flash Back)

"Princess Dectalia?"

I lifted my head out from underneath the covers of the bed and looked at my brother. "Colemnae!! You are safe!" I flung my arms around him and held him close to my body. "I thought you were dead for sure!! I thought that You were thrown over the edge of the river bank!! Oh Colemnae!! I was so worried about you!!"

He smiled sadly at me. "It's Kordin now, Dectalia. You've known this for months."

I lowered my eyes. "I apologize, your highness." I muttered. I looked up from under my lashes and saw behind him three of my father's highest advisors. "I have learned my lesson and will never escape again. I will remain in my room for another 2 months and spend my hour and a half with Lord Murtagh."

Colemnae's face turned serious, but there was a slight sparkle in his eyes. "No, princess, I came here to ask where you have taken the Dragon Egg."

I dared to meet his eyes and allowed some amusement to skip into them. "I do not understand your accusation, brother. I simply tried to run back to our home in the North—"

An older man by the name of Dorindalus stepped forward and cut me off with a wave of his hand, "You were heading South, young lady—"

Suddenly a sword was drawn and pointed at the elder's neck and Colemnae whispered heatedly, "You will always refer to my younger sister as, Princess Dectalia or Your Highness. Is that clearly understood?"

My brotherÕs forceful behavior frightened me. This did not seem like him to be so cruel to another human being.

"Brother, let it be." I whispered lowering my eyes once again, fearing that i would meet the same reaction. I could sense the tension let up around the room and I carefully said, "I swear to you, my brother that I did not take the item in question."

Colemnae gruffly lifted his hand and spoke a few words of power. Weight left my ankles and the chains clanked to the floor. I rubbed my swollen ankles and threw my legs over the bed. "Thank you, Your Highness." I said tenderly touch the cold stone floor with my feet and hobbling to the door.

xoXoxOxoXox

A/N: So what did everyone think?? I tried to edit this during study hall!! I hope that was enough time!! Please Review!!


	2. What I want

A/N: Thanx for all the reviews!!! keep them coming!!

Disclaimer: I do not own any recognizable people, places, or things. All the rest, is mine.

Dreamin' Angel: thanks for the review (my first :D) She had to be formal with her brother because there were court officials around and that's how things are done in court. Only when they are alone are they allowed to really be normal together.

Invaderm: Thanks!

Ok just in case anyone is wondering how to pronounce names this is how you do it.

Arien Are-ee-en or Air-ee-en

Colemnae Call-em-nai

Sabrina Sah-bree-nah

Josian Joe-zee-ahn

Bryttania Brit-tahn-ya

Emmalina Emma-lee-na

Lithelen Lith-el-en (exactly how its spelled)

Dectalia Dect-tal-lee-ah

Kordin Core- din

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I gazed into the body length mirror in my room. I had skipped dinner that night in an attempt to stay away from my brother, and most of all my father. My hands began trembling as I began to brush my long straw colored hair. The color did not match my skin which was a ghostly white. If I had the chance I would remain outside more often but when you are a princess and your father is a king who wishes to control everything you are not really able to do much without an escort, and my favorite escort was becoming more and more out of touch.

Colemnae's face flashed through my mind repeatedly as I stared at myself. You were warned this would happen. My mind told me, Colemnae warned you that after his training was done he would never be the same again.

"Though true that may be," I muttered, plaiting my hair into a long braid, "I was not expecting the change to be so fast."

"What were you hoping for?"

I did not need to turn in my chair. I knew who it was. The voice was soft and gentle, and his kind but confused presence radiated around the room.

"I do so hope that this counts towards the hour and a half I have promised to my brother." I kept my voice quiet just like how I was trained. "For I am fairly tired and wish to be getting some rest before tomorrow's ball."

Murtagh pulled up a stool beside me and took my hand. "We are alone, Arien, you do not have to be so formal." That was one thing I liked about Murtagh, he was always so kind, and handled me softly. He rarely ever gave me a hard gaze, unless we were around my father, but then my father was a difficult man to be around.

I hesitantly pulled my hand away and laid it on my lap across the other. I gently began stroking the soft fabric of my dress trying to think of something to say.

"What are you thinking?" he asked pulling a strand of straw colored hair from my face. When I didn't respond he used a finger to pull my chin towards him, "Arien, why do you avoid me so?" Again I remained silent, my eyes doing all the speaking. He sighed and released me. "Arien, I love you, you're like my sister—"

I glared and hissed, "And yet I am your betrothed... on some occasions your 'beloved betrothed'. I am done acting like I am in love with you Murtagh. I am sick with shame of living in this castle. I want to be free! I want to be who I was when I lived with my mother." I had stood at that point and began pacing in front of my bed. "But most of all—" I paused and sat myself down on the floor next to him, "I want my brother back, before he falls into the darkness I like to call, Magic."

Again we met blank stares. "I'm sick of being treated like the tenth child of the king. I want to be Arien to him... not Dectalia!! I mean, he couldn't be any more creative with my new name. "Dectalia" just like a ten sided polygon... a decagon he had to use "dec" in my name." I rested my head on Murtagh's knees and stared up at his big brown eyes. "Arien Lithelen Anwamane... not Dectalia of the Uru'baen. Arien. Just, Arien. Murtagh... what was I thinking? Staying here was stupid, but running away like I did last night was worse!"

He began to stroke the top of my head gently and murmur comfortingly, "Arien, my Arien, don't worry about your father. Don't worry about your brother. Just stay here, let me worry about how to keep you safe."

That night I asked him to stay with me and help me sleep. He knew how to lull me into slumber without using magic.

xoXoxOxoXox

Very, very early the next morning I awoke to see Murtagh slouched in the chair beside me. I studied his face as I often did whenever he stayed with me in the night. He was fairly pale compared to most men in the palace, although he was outside most often than most because he enjoyed riding with Thorn. He had a slight muscular build and if one looked closely enough you could see that his features were beginning to change into that of an elf, his eyebrows were more angular and his jawbone more defined.

I let my head fall back into the feather pillow as I traced his jaw line and fell asleep:

_Blazing white dots contrasted against the black veil of the sky. My feet pounded against the cold mossy turf as I ran down the riverbank to meet with my brother. Incoherent thoughts ran through my mind._

_ Magic... FLYING... oh no... Father... trouble... what if... Colemnae... stubborn... run... Varden... Empire... Rider... Thorn... Saphira??... keep running... ow, knee... stupid hair is too long... just stay strong, Arien._

_ The sounds of the river became more harsh sounding as I went closer to the rockier areas. My mind began to wander as I slowed down by the bend. The light from the full moon reflected off the water and into the face of my brother. His eyes flashed to my face in shock and then relief._

_ "You're late, Arien." he whispered. Taking my hand he led me to the other side of the bend and handed me a package. "Take this as far away as you can. Arien, this is important! Pay attention."_

_ I glared at him and rubbed some sleep out of my eyes. "Colemnae, its nearly midnight. I am exhausted from running nearly 4 miles nonstop!" he gave me a questioning look to which i answered, "The stable was locked."_

_ With shaking hands I received the package and opened it gingerly. Inside was a polished glowing green stone that was warm to the touch. "Colemnae... did you—"_

_ "Steal it?? Yes," he whispered. "I took it away from our father, for this is what he deserves. I don't want another being to suffer because of his cruelty." He then grabbed me by the shoulders and pulled me close to him. "No matter what happens to me, I want you to run to the Varden. Run as fast as you can. Take Janora!" He passed his horses leather reigns to me._

_ The shocked expression on my face was not for just any reason, my brother was letting me use his horse. He was very possessive over Janora, the beautiful white mare that Murtagh had given him. Everyday from the day he had received the mare, he spent nearly 3 hours exercising the beast, feeding it, and cleaning it. The fact that he was giving me such a gift made me tear up terribly. "I love you, Colemnae."_

_ Suddenly there were shouts from behind me. Colemnae's eyes went wide and he dropped my embrace. "Get out of here." But I was frozen to the ground in fear, "GO!!" he shoved me onto the horse and forced it to move. When I looked back, he was sliding down the river edge and struggling to stay afloat. The last words I heard were, "RUN!"_

_ I did run. I rode all the way into the nearby forest just outside the city walls immersing myself in the green mass of the trees and bushes. I dismounted Janora after a few moments of riding off the path and stored the egg under the roots of a large tree. "Stay here." I prayed. I knew that I would never make it past my father's palace military and I certainly was not in the mood to even try. "You will have to wait another day."_

_ I mounted Janora again and rode toward the palace. What took 10 minutes in a gallop, took nearly half an hour at a walk. By the time I made it back to the city walls I had fallen asleep on the horse, and was incapable of waking, for I was frozen._

xoXoxOxoXox

Again I awoke to the sounds of people talking. I turned to my side chair to see a different man sitting where Murtagh was previously sleeping. A pang of fear struck my heart and I quickly shut my eyes again. _Oh no_. I though miserably._ Father._

"Yes, it is me." he growled menacingly. He turned his dark eyes to meet my bright ones. "You have a lot of explaining to do, Dectalia."

I groaned and attempted to throw up my defenses around my mind to no avail. My father was stronger than me. He simply pushed the iron wall back down and plunged into the pool of memories.

"Did you steal the egg?" he inquired with his eyes shut, concentrating to make sure I did not lie.

"No." I replied. It was the truth. I also thought the same thing. _I did not steal the dragon egg._

His voice grew cryptic, I felt a silver dagger stab into my mind and slowly began breathing in and out to relieve the pain. "Did you take the egg out of the city?"

"No." This was also true. I never took it out of city bounds, just out of the wall. I did not inform my father of such. _I did not take the egg outside of the city._

"Very well," he sighed lifting himself off the chair. I glared at him darkly attempting to invade his mind as he invaded mine, unfortunately his defenses were stronger than mine. "For your punishment of attempting to runaway into the night I am going to ban you from leaving the palace walls... for two weeks."

I bowed my head allowing stray blonde hairs to fall onto my face. "Yes, father."

xoXoxOxoXox

That night there was a large party, only among the girls of the family. I sat with my back against the cold hard stone wall of my elder sister's, Bryttania. My other elder sister, Sabrina, straightened out the table cloth over the table we were going to play cards on.

"I heard you got into a bit of trouble with father last night...rumor around the palace has it that you stole the last egg." another elder sister, Emmalina, said gazing at me from the east wall balcony. Her intense chocolate eyes never left mine, she had a way with making people tell the truth whenever people locked eyes with her.

I lowered my eyes and softly told her I had been searched and cleared. When I first arrived here Emmalina made certain that I was very very miserable. She hated not being the favorite child anymore. She, as well as the rest of the palace, knows that without me Colemnae would never survive. The only reason I am treated with more respect than the rest of my sisters is because Colemnae would never do anything without me. And Colemnae is the King's last living son.

"Emmalina, if I knew you were going to act like a spoiled brat I would never have invited you." Sabrina scolded.

Out of all of us Sabrina was the eldest and, had my brother not been born, the next in line for the throne. She had natural golden hair, and blue eyes. Her skin had just the right pink undertone to make her hair look just splendid. She had a very etherial feel about her. Whenever she entered a room everyone would know it... almost like she could command attention without speaking.

Emmalina, the second eldest, was the very opposite of her sister. Dark brown eyes, nearly black, and fake blond hair similar to mine. Her build as slightly on the larger side and she was very very short. People, other than our father, tended to ignore her. Just as I had decided to do then.

The thrid eldest sister is Bryttania. She is a very plain girl and tends not to be noticed by many people. She is very quiet and shy. The only thing she had ever asked for in her life was to have her own room filled with books and documents.

Bryttania looked up from beneath her dirty blond hair and whispered something incomprehendible.

"What?" I hissed. I was really tired of not being able to hear her when she spoke and was beginning to become frustrated with being in the same room with Emmalina.

"I said, I found something in the library this morning." she said a little louder than before. From the folds of her skirt she pulled out 4 scrolls. "These are titled, Dragon Riders of Alagaesian History." she excitedly set them down on the table and lifted two more, "This is titled, Family Line." she passed this to me and Bryttania, "And this last one is titled, Recent History of War."

Excitedly the other three girls began reading the history because that is all they really cared about. As for me I unrolled the thick crinkly parchment that was given to me... At the top of the page a flourish of letters were written "Family Line". I teared up. At the top of the page was my father's name and connected to it were four different women's names. From beginning to end they were: Anara, Clamanacha, Brecharde, and Josian. Underneath each name were rows of other names and underneath those were other names. These were the names of my dead brother's and sisters. All their names had been changed from their birth names, given by their mothers, to different names given by our father. I gently pulled at the edge of the scroll where my name and my brother's name were written. Arien/ Dectalia... Colemnae/ Kordin.

I leaned back against the stone wall again and pulled on my braid which was laying on my lap. I studied the lines of the paper that were not in ink as I reminisced about the days when Colemnae and I lived with our mother.

"I'm going for a ride." I whispered shoving the roll of parchment into the belt of my dress.

xoXoxOxoXox

I heald my head high as I walked past the gaurds and into the stables... none of them seemed to know of my punishment. I slipped a bridle onto Lithelen, my horse, and pulled the saddle around her body. "Let's clear our heads, shall we?"

Just as I began leading Lithelen out of the yards a sword fell in front of me and sharply hit my torso. I looked up at Murtagh and Colemnae and winced. They knew my punishment... and because my father knew their true names... I was in for a long night.

xoXoxOxoXox

"You dared to defy my orders." my father said pushing me to my knees on the cold stone floor. He knelt down next to me and whispered in my ear, "When are you ever going to learn? I am your father, and your king... you will obey me at all times." when I did not reply he grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. "Do you understand!"

I glared at him and roughly pulled my face away, "I understand only what my heart and mind tell me. If you do not treat me like your daughter, you shall not own me. If you do not know my true name, you shall not own me." I could not believe the words coming out of my mouth. Though I had rehearsed them in my mirror before I had never believed that I would ever relay them to my own father.

He straightened from his sitting position and gave a quick hand motion to Murtagh and Colemnae. "Do not kill her..." he muttered before closing the door behind him.

Murtagh pulled out his sword and swung the flat of the blade against my back, I fell onto my stomache and cried out in pain and anger. Colemnae kicked me in the ribs. And again I felt another burst of pain... In the end I blacked out.

xoXoxOxoXox

I awoke to see Colemnae sitting next to my bed clutching the seat handles so tightly that his knuckles were white.

"It is not fair." He hissed to himself over and over again. I closed my eyes again and began to search myself for any serious wounds on my body. I had a long cut down my back from where Murtagh just caught the sharp end of the sword, and a gash on my left temple. A headache raged me to near insanity but I calmly surpressed it with thoughts of the forest just outside of the city. My whole body was sore, that much I knew... and there was blood caked on my night shift and blood matting down my hair.

I kept my eyes closed until I heard the door open and shut. Assuming my brother left I gingerly opened my eyes and gazed at the ceiling.

"Oh, Arien! You are awake!!" My brother had not left... instead another visitor, Murtagh, had come in. "Arien, are you alright? do you need anything? Water? Food?"

He tried to hug me but I pulled away. "What I really want is to be free." I whispered. "I dont want to be anywhere near people who are so easily controlled by my father. I want to be out where people act normal and dont have to worry about foolish things such as dying your hair every other week, or coloring your lips an unnatural red."

I steadily pulled myself off my bed and leaned against the wall. "I think I need a bath."

xoXoxOxoXox

A/N:

ok this is all just stuff that is leading up to the next chapter (which is only written in my head)

please review :D  



	3. This Isn't Funny

A/N: I've only gotten one review for the last chapter buuut i dont mind!! i feel inspired!! 

Disclaimer: I only own what you dont recognize :D

xoXoxOxoXox

I submerged my entire head beneath the warm bath water and turned to the thoughts that roamed my head.

_If you're going to run you have to actually make plans... last time it didn't work out. Don't forget to keep all secrets to yourself... Murtagh and Colemnae cannot be trusted when their minds are so easily persuaded into the dark ways... Quiet down!!... He'll hear your thoughts!! _I pulled the iron wall down over my thoughts to protect myself once again.

I blew bubbles out of my nose and pulled myself out of the water. It will happen within the month. 

xoXoxOxoXox

I stood in the corridor outside of my room with my other sisters awaiting the daily morning greeting with our father. We all dressed in our finest garments that rustled when we walked.

_Here he comes_, I thought warily. As he walked by he made comments to every one of us; reminding us of our beauty, our heritage, the honor it is to be related to him... When he walked past me I defiantly looked straight into his cold black eyes.

"Be grateful, Dectalia, for I will not protect you any more than needed if you keep acting out as you do." His face was merely inches from mine. I was very tempted to smack that cruel look off of his smooth face.

I could feel a slight smile pull my lips as I leaned forward to say into my father's ear, "I fear, you, not."

A glint of hatred appeared in his eyes before he said, "Your brother wishes you to accompany him into the nearby forest for his morning ride," and turned away down the opposite hall.

xoXoxOxoXox

I pulled on my soft brown leather boots over the tan leggings worn under my skirts. My hair plaited neatly down my back I carefully painted my face with the ceremonial red lips and pale face. I never really cared about how I looked when I was in the palace... neither did anyone else that I was around. But whenever I am outside I am supposed to smother my face with the paints. Every time I am forced to stare at myself in the mirror I am disgusted with myself. The red paint makes my lips seem too wide and the white paint makes me look ill. Altogether plus the black khol I have to use around my eyes, the ensemble makes me look like the glass dolls I used to play with as a child, completely fake.

I went to my jewelry box and gently lifted the dark wood lid and laid it down on the side table. A sharp glint from the sunlight filtering through my window reflected off of the pure silver knife with an emerald studded hilt my brother gave me for my fourteenth birthday. I slid it into the sheath in my boot and pulled out an emerald necklace that complimented my eyes.

Kanira, my personal maid, had already laid out all of my travelling things: a large leather travelling pac ( I knew we would be gone longer than the morning... whenever Colemnae had taken me on "morning rides" we had been gone a few days... the longest trip had lasted nearly a month... before father's troops were sent to search for us) all of my clothes were laid out in neat piles... 3 dresses, 1 ball gown (if ever needed), many many tunics... about 9 or 10, 12 pairs of breeches, 2 leather belts, 2 extra pairs of boots, two weeks worth of face paints (if we decide to stop in to see a noble friend), a pair of shears (my hair tended to grow very quickly), and extra hair dye along with hair elastics. On the edge of my bed, in front of this large neat row of clothing and beauty products, was my silver and emerald tiara. It draped over my hair and fell in chain links around my forehead. Along the triangular dip that ended between my eyes were small emeralds encased by intricate twists of silver wire. Around my hair were long chains that could easily be braided into my hair or linked into drapes when my hair hung down over my shoulders.

I sighed and pulled all the little chains together and gently placed it into the pack between two pairs of breeches to keep it safe if ever I drop the pack. I slung the full pack over my shoulder and headed down to the stables to get my horse ready.

The most beautiful mare in the land, Séreméla, was my horse... She was not actually the most beautiful... all the best horses belonged to my brother and father, but I didnt want to have anything to do with those horses... they were bred with magic, I felt that they did not have a soul. When I was given Séreméla, I thought she was the blackest horse I had ever seen. It is quite ironic that I have a black horse and my brother a white. I would have thought it to be the exact opposite, seeing how his mind seemed to become darker and darker every day and mine seemed to become more and more clear.

I sighed again at took my saddled and packed horse out of the stable to meet Colemnae in the front courtyard.

xoXoxOxoXox

The first part of our journey out of the city was silent. People around the city had completely dropped what they were doing and stared at us quietly out of their houses and from the side of the street. After a few moments someone shouted, "THE EMERALD CHILDREN!" If it had not been for the excessive amount of paint on my face I would have had large red burns on my cheeks for blushing so much. The common people believed that Colemnae and I —The Emerald Children, as they liked to call us— would free the land from our father's terrible rule and create a new country, a joyous country.

As we exited the city gates my brother placed a hand on my shoulder, "Everything will be fine," he told me gently. "We will be all they ask."

I lifted my eyes to look into his seriously, "Maybe, maybe not. If one of us does not survive then who will keep the other in check?" His green eyes flashed questioningly at my face as we trudged on, "Power is a great and terrible thing, Colemnae. If father so chooses to kill me in the end to tap into the dark powers inside of you, what will keep you from living the same way our father does? If you die in an attempt to use magic that is not available to you, then I will surely fall into the dark powers, like father wants."

We tore our eyes away from each other and rode on into the surrounding forest. "I— I didnt bring you out here just for a morning ride... I'm planning on us being gone for a very very long time."

I smiled, "I figured as much. Where to this time? Shall we visit mother's family again? Or! We could go to the edge of the Spine, like we did last time! That was fun... Or—"

Colemnae's glare silenced me and I pulled Séreméla to a halt and stared at him. "What is it, Colemnae? What is going on?"

He twisted in his saddle, delicately wrinkling his black cloak and slid something dark green out of his pack. "I found this out in the forest... in the exact place you told me where you hid the egg" I hesitantly pulled the large crystal like matrial out of his hand and felt around its smooth edges.

"No." I whispered, quietly convincing myself that what I was seeing was a joke pulled by my brother. "This isn't funny, Colemnae, this actually scared me for a moment!"

"It's true." He growled pulling my reigns from my hands and pulling me and Séreméla farther into the forest. "I came out here the next morning and found it... It is done, Arien... you are the last—"

I held my hands against my ears and glared at Colemnae, "NO!" I yelled, "It's not funny anymore. Just stop it."

But suddenly, we were there... just where I had hadden the egg. There among the old tree's roots were shattered pieces of it... jutting out into the air...

"It is true." Colemnae whispered puling me out of my saddle... "I cant make him come out of the tree... I don't think he has eaten properly." He pointed up into the branches and smiled.

xoXoxOxoXox

(A/N) HAH!!! cliffhanger!! you gotta love em.. although.. i'm prety sure all of you readers know what's coming,... but its still fun to keep you all in suspense :D

Read and Review s'il vous plait!!


	4. Unless I Mkae Eye Contact,I Dont Want It

**A/N: **OK!! on to Chapter 4!!! I like some of the ideas that are in the movie... I don't like the fact that the dragon wings are feathery and not in membrane form like the book describes... but I do like the way that they showed the gëdwy ignasia... the small oval kind of shaped like a long chinese dragon... brilliant... The part about Eragon finding out about Brom for himself... not so cool. ok moving on:

**Dreamin' Angel: t**hanks for another review!! your totally awesome!! lol I bet you already knew what was coming anyways!! I decided to make that one shorter because I was having writer's block for a bit and decided if i just post it something else will come to me.

**Invaderm: **um... no, but nice try :D

**Greekfire: **this is going to sound really rude but... What's that supposed to mean?

**Cutiepie100: **I hope this is who I think it is because if it's not then this will be really embarrassing... I WANT TO BORROW THAT MOVIE!! and if its not who I think it is then thanks for the review :D Sorry for that awkward moment.

**Disclaimer: **I only own what you don't recognize!!

xoXoxOxoXox

I tore my eyes away from the emerald flashes of light coming through the tree branches… I knew what it was, I knew that I would have to accept it sooner or later… or maybe I was dreaming… I scraped my arm against the rough tree bark of the tree I hid the dragon egg under. I winced in pain, a slight drop of blood came out of the small scrape on my forearm._ Definitely not a dream._

The small winged creature made a small cry from among the green leaves above. I shut my eyes and then glared at Colemnae, "I did not ask for this," I hissed, when I saw his face contort into his _you-didnt-ask-but-you're-going-to-get _look, I rephrased my sentence, "I don't **want** this!"

"You must!!!" he exploded grabbing my shoulders with his rough hands and shaking me harshly. "You must take him! If you don't who will save Alagaesia from our father!! Who will join the Varden along with the other dragon rider... The one named "Shadeslayer" and kill him off! Father has two dragons and that will mean that the Varden will have two dragons! This will work out to our advantage!! Don't ruin it Arien!" I released my shoulders and backed up against a tree while pointing at me and accusingly glaring, "Don't ruin the plan." He glanced up the tree, "Call him down."

I sighed and reluctantly turned to stare up into eyes that were the same green as mine merely inches from my face. I yelped and fell backwards into the dirt. The creature climbed into my lap and nuzzled against my chest, it's sharp scales lightly scraping against the soft fabric of my dress.

I looked up at Colemnae's amused face. "Touch it!" He whispered excitedly, "Go on!"

Hesitantly I reached my hand out to touch the small dragon's snout and in turn it hesitantly lifted its head to meet my hand. A blazing white pain raced through my arm upon contact. My worst fears were confirmed. I was indeed going to turn into one of the Rider's my father was... that my betrothed was... I silently promised myself not to turn out like either of them as darkness took over my mind like a warm blanket.

xoXoxOxoXox

_Everything around me was glimmering a faint green... the stone work of the walls and floors, the fire in the hearth, my brother who was standing over me menacingly._

_I sat up quickly fearing my life was in danger... I knew the face my brother was making... it was always fresh in my mind when I was around him after he had seen father... he was ordered to do something to me... that he was going to hurt me in some way..._

_"Colemnae?" I whispered heatedly, "This is not who you are! This is not what you would do if you had not met father!! DON'T DO THIS!!"_

_He raised his dagger and brought it down on me swiftly. But suddenly the image faded away from the violent one to a peaceful one... again everything was a shimmering green except it was much brighter... Trees were surrounding me and light was glimmering off of a small green dragon sitting right next to me. It opened its small jaws and a large amount of fire came pouring out onto the ground and began to surround me... almost as if it were water and not fire. My lungs struggled for breath as the smoke took over my senses and crush me under its significant weight... Again I knew that this was no ordinary fire... it was as if I was confusing fire with water... but this water was the color of fire... flared up in tongues around me like fire... and was hot like fire... I thought I was going crazy until—_

xoXoxOxoXox

My brother roughly pulled me up from under the terrible waters of my nightmare and held me against his chest... "Arien, wake up, its just a dream, you're all right."

I heard my ragged gasps for breath... The air that slowly filled my lungs refreshed me and I was quickly able to gather that I was no longer dreaming. I rubbed my sore hand and felt a small oval-like lump... I lifted my hand and gazed at the strange lump behind my brother's back.

On my right palm there was a small silver oval on my hand in the shape of a small, poorly written "e". As I examined it closely I noticed that it looked more like a craggy scar... or even a long, scaled dragon curled into an intricate oval. "Wow," I whispered. I pulled out of Colemnae's hold and held my hand up to him, "Is this supposed to happen?"

He took hold of my wrist to steady my unsteady hand and pulled it closer towards the fire he had built while I was out cold. He laughed softly and put my hand palm down against my stomach. "Congratulations, sister." He whispered into my ear, "You are a true Rider." He jabbed his finger towards my hidden hand, "That is called a gëdwy ignasia... A silver scar bestowed on a rider upon contact with his or her dragon," In response to my questioning gaze he shrugged and quickly added, "Father told me about them... he has one and has been trying desperately to get the egg to hatch for me."

I glared at Colemnae and pulled my skirts more closely around me. I searched the clearing quickly and saw my dragon sleeping against my horse's travel pack. I crawled over to him and put my face close up to him... His blaring Emerald eyes met mine and I laughed. "We were meant for each other!! Look at his eyes!!" Colemnae shrugged in agreement while pouring out two bowls of soup. I slowly began to stroke the dragon's spikes and feel the small bumps and grooves around its body called scales... I was careful to only graze them for from the reading that my sister Bryttania often gave to me and my other sisters I learned that their scales were razor sharp. I slid my hands over the thin velvety membrane of the wings and breathed a deep sigh of curiosity and wonder.

"He's beautiful." I say in the same emotion that was taking over my body... amazement. "He's so... green. He stands for everything that seems like me..." I glance up at Colemnae, "Like us."

He gave me The Look... the look that told me to grow up. The kind of look I get when he thinks that I'm acting like a child. "Well,l must I beg your pardon, for being excited about this, Your Highness?" I growled sarcastically as the dragon bent itself into a ball and snoozed in my lap. "The most amazing thing has just happened to me and I'm sorry if I seem slightly excited."

He glared and slid next to me and touched the dragon's small teeth jutting out under his jaw. "Don't accuse me of being not excited... believe me, I sincerely am! But you making a big deal out of it doesn't make it any better for our safety... someone could hear us."

I sighed knowing he was right. But then... I realized... If someone did hear us, then they would immediately report to my father and he would make sure that I was killed... or worse... the small Emerald beauty sitting comfortably on my lap.

"Colemnae... we can't run!" I hissed urgently. His questioning gaze met my desperate one. "Father knows the egg was stolen... he knows that we left only 4 days AFTER the egg was stolen... If we suddenly disappear, sooner or later, he will find out about what is in our possession and come send his men after us, to either force our compliance or kill us... more likely me since I am the Rider."

I could see the realization dawn on my older brother's face as the information slowly began to sink in.

"Arien, what will we do?" He whispered, "This was not a part of my plan!"

I smiled. "I'll act like the perfect daughter that he has always wanted, and he will finally appreciate leaving me alive because you will act like the perfect son that he has raised." When all I got in response was another long questioning look I shrugged my shoulders, "As if you can think of anything better."

"No! No no no... its a good plan it's just that... what about your problem... on your hand," He pointed at the silver winding scar on my hand. "Your gëdwy ignasia needs to be hidden... I can try a spell but I can't hold it for very long. If we end up going back to the palace then father will want me to practice harder magic... there is no way that I can keep hold of it all."

xoXoxOxoXox  
(COLEMNAE'S POV in third person)

He looked into his sister's eyes seriously and took hold of her hand. In his mind he marveled at the sight of such a small thing. Sure he had seen one before, but seeing it on someone he actually cared about, was different. He sorted through all the words of power he had memorized and stared at the gëdwy ignasia for a long moment before whispering them under his breath. He felt a small and sudden drain in his power. Tentatively Colemnae touched where the scar should have been but only felt the the soft skin of a woman's hands.

"That should last AT LEAST 6 hours..." he said sitting pulling Arien to stand, ignoring the baffled squeak of the dragon that fell to the earth. "Tell your little friend that you will visit him every week at least once a week, maybe more."

Arien gave her brother a look of pure stupidity, "You tell him!"

Colemnae shook his head in frustration, "Only the Rider can communicate with the thing. Also tell him to always be waiting around the ninth hour of the morning for us every day... just in case. Tell him that no matter what we will always be on time."

Arien relayed the message to her dragon and ran her hands over its wings one more time before Colemnae helped her into her horse's saddle. "We are going back right now, and there is no stopping us."

"WAIT!" Arien hissed sharply, "What about his name?"

Colemnae stared at the dragon a moment but then looked away when it's piercing green eyes met his. "Ask him later!"

He doused the fire using magic and mounted his horse. At the look of his sister's frustration he said calmly, "We will search for names in the morning, I promise"

But he knew that there was certainty of him keeping that promise and he knew it... He thought of all the ways he could get distracted making a mental list: News of the other Rider, a new word, new spells, father's errands. And as he thought deeply he knew that his sister was nervously checking her hands every few minutes. Her blond hair although slightly touseled from the day's events was still amazingly beautiful. He knew she hated the fact that she looked so fake, but he never had the confidence to tell her that no matter what she was gorgeous.

Her green eyes were always flashing dangerously one way or another, and her lips were only a few shades lighter than the deep red lip paint that she is forced to wear, same with her skin color... the same pale white, except with a delicate tinge of pink underneath her high and angular cheek bones. Her eyebrows were perfectly arched but angled, like her emerald eyes, in a slighly abnormal way... but a person would only notice if it was pointed out by someone who was looking very closely at her. Her jaw was perfectly angular, and her chin was not pointed as most people would expect from such an angled girl, but instead it was squared off with a small but deep dimple in her chin, a reminder of how she was related to her father.

"You look very decent today, Arien." He said just as they were reentering the gates of Uru' baen.

She simply turned and glared at him, her perfectly shaped lips parting a little to say. "Shut your mouth, brother. It is rude to gawk."

A slight smile appeared on his face, next time he would tell her in private, not as they were standing in front of many people. He sighed and trudged along beside his sister. None of the city people said anything this time, for they saw the destressed look upon their favorite princess' porcelain face and knew better than to put pressure on her any more than she needed.

xoXoxOxoXox  
(Back to Arien's POV in first person i might add)

I stared back at my reflection in the mirror while applying a light shade of red to my lips. Colemnae and I were going to the library to research on names of dragons. I always thought that it would be alright for me to wear little to no face paint while walking around in the library until this morning when my father informed me that I should wear it all the time, for I will be a married woman soon and should be practicing my beauty everywhere, everyday. He even suggested that I wear the face paint while alone in my room. In reply I almost refused, but I remembered the beatiful emerald being that was waiting for me to return, and I simply acquieced to his request. His face was in complete shock as I lowered my eyes and curtsied lowly to the ground, like every other stupid lady in this palace.

I grabbed my nail paint off of the lid of my jewelry box just after I placed my emerald studded tiara over my head allowing the silver chain threads to fall over my let down blond hair. Another non-neccessity that my father insisted upon.

I did another quick check of myself in the mirror and placed the small glass vial of red nail paint into the sachet at my side. I gently closed the heavy oak door behind me so as not to disturb my sisters morning rest, and made my way to my brother's private library across the building.

xoXoxOxoXox

"Would you mind recapping that." Colemnae hissed angrily, glaring at me from his leaned position over an old large book. "The smell is distracting, and it gives me a headache."

I huffed a large sigh of frustration and quickly added one more swipe of the small paintbrush over my small nail before recapping the vial. "This is extremely boring." I muttered making sure that he could hear me.

His head shot up, his glare intensifying. "Well, Dectalia, you could be so kind as to actually help! It's not my problem your new pet is not really my responsibility."

I shut my eyes, ashamed of myself. He was right, I made him do all the work when it was my dragon we were trying to name. "Alright. I'm sorry! Here's a list that I've made up so far."

I leaned accross the table to hand him the parchment on it were, as I had said, names that I thought sounded nice. "We know it's a male dragon so I took the liberty of not putting female names on there no matter how much I liked them."

Colemnae smiled his cute little crooked smile. "Some of these may work."

xoXoxOxoXox

A/N: Ok everyone!! I just wanted to say that I need you to vote!!! I cant decide on names!! so here are a list of names (they all have a meaning I just need to go back and figure it out) pls choose one that is too ur liking!!

**Telemnar** Tel-em-nahr ( cant remember meaning)

**Cowen **Co-en (Can't remember meaning)

**Abelio** Ab- bell-ee-oh (Green Growling One)

**Aluanos** Al-wan-os (Shining one)

**Corann**Core-ahn (Crown)

**  
Dei** Day (to shine))

And if you dont like any of those then you can definately help me by making suggestions! I LOOOOVE REVIEWS!!! suggestions would be nice!! I love my readers too! thanks guys!!


	5. The Victory of the Plan and Mind

**A/N: **Another thing I really don't like about the movie is probably the fact that arya... IS BLOND!! She's supposed to have looong black hair kept back with a leather strip! And! What is up with her personality!! she's supposed to be serious, in this she is totally flirty, kinda giving Eragon sly smiles everyone in awhile... its disgusting!! And I mean... how lame is the line from Eragon to Arya: "You look long pause looking up and down her hot bod (i'm not a lesbian) fit for battle" LAME-O!! everyone can feel free to tell me to stop trashing the movie now... BUT! that Ed Speleers... CuTiE!!! Too bad he had to have his first movie be that bad... It would have been better had i not read the book first... but ya know, the book is too hard to pass up.

**Dreamin' Angel:** I thought of that name too!! But Cowen is shorter and takes just that little bit less of a time to type, and yeah... u picked my top 2 choices too!! Yeah... that fact that her father is the most hated/ feared man in the country I'd say she's pretty damn afraid of having a dragon. She's also kind of afraid that she'll... yeah nvm i'll mention it in this chapter I PROMISE!! Murtagh is a cutie!! but I still cant decide if I want her to eventually fall in love with him or if I'll have her fall in love with about 3 other choices I've come up with.

And now for Eragon's pov in third person!!  
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**

**xoXoxOxoXox**

_  
A girl, not much younger than himself, crouched in the center of a blazing golden fire. But this fire was different, it pooled around the girl, gaining ground on her. Her large green eyes met his brown ones, both had blonde hair whipping around their faces. She lifted her hand as if to shield herself from the sweltering heat of the fire. And there, he saw, a glittering silver, gedwey ignasia. In shock he called out to her, but she had already disappeared, leaving the liquid fire in its own puddle. Out of curiosity he drew closer to it, only to find it too had disappeared, in its place was a small silver dagger with an emerald gem studded to the hilt. He stared around this dream world for a moment, but before he could search for anymore clues as to the young girl's identity the forest around him disappeared and— _

He awoke with a start. Sweat soaked his tunic, and matted down his blond hair to his forehead. He quickly lifted himself out of bed and splashed his face with cool water from a basin by the side of this cot.  
_  
Is something bothering you, little one?_ A soft woman's voice asked inside his mind.

Eragon smiled to himself and shook his head. It never ceased to amaze him how well Saphira knew him. He quickly explained what had happened in his dream.

_It felt like the dreams I had of me and Murtagh, and Arya. It seemed so real... but the fact that she disappeared so suddenly, makes me wonder if I am going crazy._ He said through his mental link with his dragon_. I've never seen her before... just as I had never seen Arya._

The tent flap suddenly opened and Eragon broke his link with Saphira in an effort to focus his attention on his distressed cousin, Roran. Roran glared at Eragon before quickly pulling off a dirty woolen shirt and tossing it to the ground beneath the second cot in the tent. He threw back his shaggy blond hair and scrunched his newly healed arm to look at his bulging muscle more clearly.

"Yes, you are fit as a fiddle." Eragon growled pulling his new steel sword from beside his cot. He slowly lifted it above his head and brought it down as if to give a death blow to an enemy soldier. He marveled at how well his wound from Durza had healed every day, and still wondered how he had survived all those seizures earlier that year. With the strength and willpower of your dragon, and your heart. he answered himself with a slight smile tugging his lips.

"As are you, brother." Roran commented watching Eragon's lithe muscles ripple with each movement he conducted with his sword.

Eragon smiled and dropped the sword next to the belt of Beloth the Wise. He slowly bent into the different stretches starting with the first and ending with the fourth level of the Rimgar. He wallowed in the calm stretches, clearing his mind, making room for the new information of his heritage to soak into his consciousness.

_Saphira!_ He called with his mind, searching for their connection again.

_Yes, little one?_ she replied, clearly irritated by his sudden change in interest from his cousin to her.

_I've been thinking— _Eragon started

_Oh, no. That's never a good sign Try not to hurt yourself too much._ she joked.

Ignoring her interruption he continued, _I want to return to Ellesmera before going to find Katrina. That way Roran may be able to recuperate from his loss of Katrina and train with the elves, that way we can both become stronger. I with magic, new maneuvers, and swordsmanship; and Roran with hand to hand combat, and swordsmanship._

He felt Saphira's disapproval through their mental link although she did not word it. _I think that you should do whatever you feel is right. But also take into consideration Roran's feelings for Katrina, and the fact that you have shown him a vision of her clearly not in the paradise he had promised her._

Eragon lifted his eyes to look at Roran across the room, studying the scrolls that he had left laying open on his bed. It did not disturb him that he was seeing very important and confidential documents for he knew that his cousin did not know his letters in his native tongue much less in the Ancient Language. "I don't think you'll be able to understand what is written on that." Eragon voiced, startling Roran out of his silent stupor over the scroll.

"I know, I do so wish to be able to someday... this seems like a fairly important document," he replied acknowledging the broken red seal. "What does it say?"

Eragon lowered his eyes... It had been 2 weeks since the battle where Roran had killed the magical twins and Eragon had found out about his heritage... his cousin had waited patiently for them to move on with their lives and rescue Katrina since then. He deserves to know, Eragon thought darkly to himself. After all we've been through. "It's a letter from Arya Svit-kona."

Roran smiled, "Ah... I see... And what does she want from you, Eragon, that she should resort to writing a letter? She is only three tents over from us." He searched Eragon's face for a trace of some kind of emotion other than the calm, or unreadable mask that he had been receiving for the past days. "Is this a love letter, Eragon?" He joked.

Eragon's stoic face broke into different emotions, that of love, horror, desire, shame, and back to impassiveness again. "We are not like that, Roran." he whispered harshly with such a slight waver in his voice Roran wondered if he imagined it. "I must focus on my duties, I have not a moment to spare for love, lust, or any other desires of the opposite gender."

Roran was taken aback by his cousin's urgent, uncertain voice. It sounded like Eragon was trying to convince himself of the words coming out of his own mouth. "I am sorry for the assumption, Eragon."

Roran felt that ever since he had been reunited with his cousin he no longer knew him. Eragon had certainly changed from the young boy he once knew in Carvahall into a man with more responsibilities than he can keep track of. Whenever they went walking around the battlefield together any person around would rise and bow to him with greetings such as "Argetlam," "Shadeslayer," "Shur'tugal," "Rider," and even "Master". Where Roran once had more authority over Eragon, he was now under the jurisdiction of his younger cousin. People often came to the tent they shared to bring their problems to Eragon hoping for him to bring a slight amount of peace among the chaos that surrounded them. He remembered with small amusement when a young man came to Eragon asking permission to marry a young maid, to which Eragon replied that he must ask the maid's father for her hand in order to be given a true lover's blessing. No matter what Eragon did he thought it through very carefully and always gave a wise answer, even if it angered the person he was answering to. Roran no longer knew Eragon of Carvahall... now he was seeking to make a friendship with Eragon Shadeslayer, the new Dragon Rider. He felt like he should be serving Eragon in any way possible, walking three paces behind him in respect, speaking to him as he would speak to a noble man... but there he was, standing next to him, living in the same tent, although he always made certain to speak to him as respectfully as would while speaking with Arya Svit-kona, Princess of the elves, or Lady Nasuada, Queen of the Varden.

Roran also no longer feared Saphira as he did in the beginning, she spoke with him from time to time of their adventures, fighting with Brom, the surprise of meeting Murtagh, the pleasures of flying among the cotton clouds in the sky, the freedom and peace that she and Eragon felt while dancing in the diamond studded black veil of the night. Roran was always in a world of tranquility and safety when he was around Eragon and Saphira... he almost felt as if they were his protection against the anger, and sorrow that was welded to his heart.

Uncertainly, Eragon pulled himself into a standing position and shrugged off the apology. "It's alright, Roran. But as I really must speak to Orik before..." He trailed off pulling another shirt over his back, barely glancing at Roran.

"Before... what?" Roran pressed. At his cousin's slight discomfort he stood and placed his hand's on his shoulders. "Whatever is troubling you, it is alright to tell me."

Eragon's blond head bobbed from behind the cot while he was searching for his other boot. He sighed and sat on the bed pulling the found leather piece over his foot and calf. "Roran... I plead that you won't become angry... Arya wants me to return to Ellesmera before the week is out, in order to complete my training with my master, Oromis." Because of his vow in the Ancient Language to Queen Islanzadi he did not go into anymore depth about his master being the only surviving Rider from the days of when Galbatorix killed them all off. When Eragon sensed that Roran would not say anything he went on, "I am going to ask you to come with me, Roran.You and I can ride on Saphira... It will be about a week's ride. From there we can train together in swords, hand to hand combat, and archery. That way when we make it to Helgrind, where I am assuming Katrina is, we will be strong enough to defeat the Raz'ac and get Katrina out of there."

Roran did not meet Eragon's eyes for a moment, obvious confusion riddling his features. Finally he nodded, "I trust your judgement, brother, but I must ask how long I will be wasting my time among the elves who cowardly hide behind the jade walls of Du Weldenvarden. If I have not proven to you once, I must have proven it to you four times over, I am well fit enough to fight against anything that keeps me from Katrina."

Eragon groped for the rage he knew was about to explode from his lips. He drew from Saphira's strength to keep him composed in front of his cousin. "The elves do not agree with the outside world that Galbatorix has built. They do not hide for fear of not being able to survive while Alagaesia is overridden with humans... They hide for fear of Galbatorix forcing out their magical secrets, making him more powerful over all of the planet. They hide for fear of our lives... They hide to keep us safe from a man capapble of becoming powerful enough to wipe out an entire country of people, such as the Varden, without tiring an inkling, wheras as I tire when healing a group of 10-15 people at at time."

Again Roran experienced the wisdom of Eragon and his choices. All of the things that Eragon did was somehow that much better than himself. "I am deeply sorry, Eragon. I let my anger get away with me. I am bent on finding Katrina... If I dont—" tears formed at the corners of Roran's eyes as he turned away, protecting his pride as a man. "I will go with you to Ellesmera, Eragon. As long as you promise me that we will rescue Katrina."

Eragon nodded and pulled on his belt and sheathed sword, "Vel eïnradhin iet ai Shur'tugal." Roran cocked his head to the side in question. "Upon my word as a Rider." he translated.

Another thing Roran had to learn quickly... Many of the occasions that Eragon was promising someone to do something he did so in the ancient language. Even if the person he was making a promise to did not understand, they knew he was going to keep that promise, for no one is capable of lying while speaking the Ancient Language.

"When will we leave?" Roran inquired, receiving a grateful smile from his cousin in response.

**xoXoxOxoXox**

(Arien's POV)

My eyes scanned the surroundings. Trees... many many trees with golden-green light filtering through the tree tops. There were small animal bones with visible evidence of teeth marks littering the forest floor making me sick to my stomache, never before had I seen an animal's insides strewn around in a mess, it had always been in a nice small, orderly pile after being cleaned by small bites with no teeth marks. I held my nose up in distaste as rotten meat reached my senses.

_Yes I will definately become sick._ I thought angrily, throwing my cape around my face to keep the reek from contaminating my mind any more than usual.

An entire fortnight had passed since the egg had hatched and it was the first time since then that I had seen my emerald beauty. A lot had changed since then. He was nearly as high as my shoulder, three times the size since his hatching. I was astonished to see how much the little beast had grown.

I sat high in a tree with my dragon while my brother remained down below, burying the bones and old flesh of the eaten creatures. I spoke to the dragon, telling him of my day and how my sisters and father and betrothed were faring.

"Murtagh left just a day after we met to go to some kind of battle. He said that he would come back soon but you know how those things turn out... personally I'm hoping that he won't be hurt to much but just enough to not be able to talk for those torterous visits I am forced to endure every night with him..."

And on the conversations went. Halfway through my story of how Emmalina had somehow gotten a large dead spider underneath her pillow the night she had told father about my random journey's into the courtyard to spar with Colemnae during the early morning hours, a slight feeling of a calm alien being touched my mind. I gasped and drew away throwing up a vast amount of defenses around me. The emerald dragon next to me drew back as well and squeaked in protest. He leaned foreward and pressed his nose to my forehead as the alien feeling touched my mind again, this time I allowed it to enter. _Arien,_ said a calm man's voice. I gulped as I answered in my own mind and mouth, "Yes?"

"I didn't say anything, Arien." Colemnae said climbing up the tree next to me, "I was just grunting because it was difficult to climb this tree... how did you do it anyways? You are certainly weaker than I—"

"Hush up, Colemnae, and listen." I whispered gazing at my dragon. "Say it again" I said with my mind and my mouth.

_Arien. _

I wriggled excitedly and grasped Colemnae's arm, "Did you hear him!! He said my name!!"

Colemnae loosened my grip and looked at me as if I had three heads, "Are you ill, Arien?"

I scowled and turned away, "I'm fine! He said my name! I'm not going mad!! I heard it in my head!"

_Like this?_ Colemnae's voice entered my mind as well as the other voice repeating my name.

"YES!! Exactly!!" I said delighted he understood, "See! I'm not mad!"

"Ask him his name." Colemnae said, turning back to his normal speach, "Ask him with your mind."

_Arien._ The voice said again. I glared at the dragon becoming increasingly annoyed.

"Please tell me that you can say more words than just my name." I said out loud.

_Few._

I smiled, his obvious sarcasm lightening my mood. _What is your name? _I dared to ask through the mental string that seemed to have connected us. In response there was a shrug that brushed by our mental link.

"He doesn't know." I said to Colemnae, quickly explaining the mental shrug that I had felt.

"Well... tell him the list of names you have in mind."

_Alright, dragon_. I said, _I will be calling you that until I can find you a proper name, is that clear, dragon? _There was a slight emotion of frustration through our mental link before he agreed. _Good, alright so... Dei?_ he shook his head, _Corann?_ his response was the same all through the list of names, _Aluanos, Abelio, Cowen?_ I couldn't help but feel the slight amount of amusement coming out of his mind and entering mine. I growled in frustration and finally said, _Telemnar?_

The reaction was amazing, a feeling of happiness mixed with pride emenated from the dragon's mind and into my own. He chirped with joy and swung off of the tree and flew around the clearing a few times, the reaction reminded me of a victory lap my brother or Murtagh take around the sparring field every time one or the other wins a match.

I laughed as I told Colemnae his name, "Telemnar! It is such a beautiful name! Dont' you agree, Colemnae?" But he wasn't paying attention to me... he was busy watching Telemnar swing around the clearing with the grace and ease of a snake on rocky land.

I smiled, _Hello, Telmnar_, I greeted, _My name is Arien Lithelen Anwamane, and I am your Rider._

The dragon perched himself on a branch opposite of myself,_ Hello, Arien,_ he greeted in turn, _My name is Tlemnar, and I am your dragon._

**xoXoxOxoXox**

**A/N:** okie dokie! so what does everyone think? Is it good? What should i do next! suggestions suggestions!! and if you dont like the name Telmnar deal with it becaus eI went with my voter Dreamin Angel and she was the only one who voted!! YAY!! Plus I was going to have to choose that one anyways!!! SO HA!!!

_**  
**_

_**please R&R**_


	6. Love? or Dream? Fact? or Fiction?

**A/N: **Ok I definitely feel a mind block coming on... I've noticed that I've made a bunch of mistakes in the past chapters getting names confused... the horses name IS Séreméla. And yeah... so don't worry about it... I noticed it eventually. I also noticed that I'm getting all my timing is all messed up... but now i've changed which way my story is going so that the times wont be so bad.

I'm going to take a stab at the whole Ancient Language thing... the words that I use are ACTUAL WORDS!! they are Irish Gaelic and I like it this way! If you have any suggestions feel free to tell all!

**Dreamin Angel: **I have a feeling you're going to totally freak out at me when you find out what happens with Arien and Murtagh in this chapter... actually... you may want to shoot me.Buuut you'll have to wait and see what appens! its freakin exciting!! wel in my mind it is :D Anyways I definatly had writers block this chapter and I pretty much know it sucks. So no need to remind me but I really need advice!! hint hint and do you like the way i did the ancient language? There's only one sentence really but it is pretty cool (to me)

**Citalali Angeni: **What does your name mean? its very unique.

**xoXoxOxoXox**

Arien's POV 

I glared at Murtagh from across the table. He had just made it back from the battle and had not said a word to me since. Something was troubling him and I knew it. I reached for his mind like I would with Telemnar or my brother to try to talk to him. His defenses were amazing, a tall iron wall blocked my way to his consciousness. Tentatively I pressed on a weak area and received a sharp stab in response. I winced and gasped out loud. Murtagh looked up from his seat and smiled uncertainly before opening his mind for me.

_I'm sorry, _he whispered softly. I shuddered feeling his mind brush against mine, it was just as alien as Telemnar's when I first made contact with him. _I'm just frustrated and don't really want to share anything with anyone in the open._ I smirked in response and took a bite of the lettuce sitting before me. _Come visit me tonight in the Dragonhold._ I nodded. _Promise?_ And again I nodded.

_This better be good. _I thought angrily, but he had already left my mind and blocked his own. Our eyes continuously met throughout the rest of the meal. Once or twice my father noticed and narrowed his eyes. The third time he saw us he suggested that I go to bed for I had a long journey the next day.

I sighed, going to Helgrind wasn't really a big deal... It was just a small trip with Colemnae, he was going to be doing all the work anyway. All I had to do was sit in the lodge and do some embroidery and wait for him to return. There was nothing tiring about it. I did not voice my opinions, I simply bowed my head and did as he proposed. 

**xoXoxOxoXox**

That night I pulled a cloak over my brother's tunic, that I slept in on warm nights, and jumped off the balcony landing lightly on my feet. Ten minutes later found me in the Dragonhold. 

Warm air surrounded me as I entered the cavernous room. I shuddered when I saw Shruikan asleep on the top of the cave,his large head swooping low covering 2-3 different caverns.

_Turn right, _Murtagh's voice said in my mind. I altered directions and came face to face with Murtagh underneath his own dragon, Thorn. _Come with me, we can talk safely in my rooms._

I raised a questioning eyebrow but followed him all the same down the winding passageway underneath the dragonhold. I stared at the beautiful marble, tracing its light brown veins of granite along its under layer. My mind drifted to Telemnar but I quickly stuffed it into the back of my mind fearing that Murtagh might randomly decide to search me. We entered a large room that could fit 3 or 4 Shruikan's at once. Thorn rested his large bulk next to a small cot at the far right corner of the room. Murtagh led me over to an unlit hearth that was quickly set into a blazing inferno with a word of power. 

"Sit," His rough voice muttered pointing to a chair. He motioned for my cloak but I shook my head and hesitantly pulled it closer around me... I was not expecting to be around long therefore I did not put on any decent clothing, all I was wearing was my brother's overly large tunic and some undergarments.

"Tell me what is troubling you, Murtagh." I said in an undertone, I felt so small in such a spacious room and feared that being too loud might echo our conversation to Shruikan who would report back to my father. I smiled at the small stab of interest that I knew cam from Telemnar. Our connection was growing stronger by the second. I allowed him to listen to the conversation while keeping my face impassive so Murtagh couldn't tell I was communicating with him.

He gazed into my eyes for a full moment before finally pulling from out of his sheath the most gorgeous red blade I had ever seen.

"Meet, Zar'roc." he said keeping his voice even. I winced at the mention of such an evil name... for Zar'roc meant "misery" in the ancient language.

"This sword has quite a history to it." I breathed, taking the hilt in my hand and weighing it. "Your father bore it, and now you... how does it feel to take it back from the man who did not have a single right to inherit it?"

Murtagh took the sword back and resheathed it without looking at me he said, "He had the right to have the blade, but I, being the eldest, have rightly inherited it." In response to my questioning eyebrow he explained to me of how the Twins, loathing mongrels that they are, had made a connection between Selena, Murtagh's mother, and Selena, Shadeslayer's mother... somehow the boy had been born without Morzan or Galbatorix's knowledge. Their was a long awkward silence at the end of his tale to which I broke with a sigh.

"I'm sorry that the man you may have to kill, is your own brother." I said. A small anguished cry escaped his lips. Surprise emanated from Telemnar as I shook my head and sat on the arm of his chair to cradle his broken soul in my arms, "If you care to really think about it, Eragon Shadeslayer is not your true brother, for you did not grow up with him, you did not show him the ways to hunt or shoot a bow. Just the same as Morzan is not really your father, for Galbatorix and your former swords trainer were really the only ones there for you." His shining eyes looked into mine a hint of joy leaking into them. "And! Colemnae and I could be considered your siblings because you taught me how to ride a horse, and Colemnae how to properly jump into the creek without hurting his stomach!" A bitter giggle was heard and I laughed in turn. "I give good advice, don't I." I said proudly, straightening my back. He nodded in agreement staring into the fire.

Slowly Murtagh turned to me and put an arm around my waist, puling me down on his lap. Confused I tried to draw away but he held me tightly. His face became deliberately closer to mine and I struggled to keep my breath even. Murtagh hesitated for a moment searching my eyes, which I'm sure were just as uncertain as his, before placing a soft kiss on my lips. At first I did not know what was going on but then I leaned into him and allowed his tongue to enter my mouth. Suddenly a flash of a young blond man's face came before my eyes, scowling as if he was disappointed and disgusted with me. I snapped my eyes open in fright, yanked myself off of Murtagh's lap and uttered a quick "I have to go." before running out the door and into the long long corridor that leads into the main chamber of the Dragonhold. I did not care if Shruikan saw me... The vision before my eyes frightened me so badly that I was hoping for some kind of thrill to ease my mind.

I rushed into the common room that my brother and I shared, his door directly across the room from mine. I knocked on his door and entered without an invitation.

"Arien, it's late, you should be sleeping." Colemnae said from his writing desk, he was quickly covering his notes with blank sheets of paper and inkwells.

"I would say the same to you, but it seems that you have something important to be doing." I murmured ripping a pair of trousers out of the chest at the foot of his bed. As I pulled them on I tried to suppress my heartbeat... Is this love? Or is this nervousness?

"Something's troubling you... I feel it." he said turning his chair to face me. I glowered at the floor. "Our connection is strong, Arien, don't try to block me. I'm not trying to get into your mind."

Tears poured out of my eyes as I told my story about how Murtagh kissed me and how I felt when he did... I told him about the vision I saw of the boy who looked like an elf with blond hair and brown eyes... And how frightened I was because a rush of unidentifiable emotions filled my mind and soul without warning. At the end of my story Colemnae was next to me holding me in a brotherly hug.

"I don't even know the person," I whispered into his shoulder, "All I know is that I've seen him before... I don't know how... but I know I have!"

There was another flash of his face, but this time it was full of concern, and uncertainty. I squeezed my eyes shut and snuggled closer to Colemnae, willing myself to calm down

**xoXoxOxoXox**

Eragon's POV 

He leaned against Saphira sipping his water. His ears twitched to the sounds of animals and things roaming around underneath the soil of Du Weldenvarden. He reached for the little critters' minds and spoke with them of the kinds of people wandering through the area. They asked him questions in turn... mostly about the human that was with him, for they had not seen humans in decades. He smiled to himself and nodded at Roran from across the clearing.

"Shall we take off now?" Eragon inquired lifting an elegantly arched eyebrow.

Roran glared clutching his stomach. "Do I not get a few minutes to recover?"

Eragon sighed and stared up at the green canopy above, "I want to get to Ellesmera, before Galbatorix dies, thank you very much." Every few hours Roran would command that Eragon land Saphira for he became sick of all the twists and turns that they continuously practiced.

Grudgingly he mounted the dragon in front of Eragon and clutched the saddle for dear life. _What was I thinking in agreeing to this?_ he thought angrily.

_Katrina._ came the womanly voice's reply. Roran growled at Saphira and ducked his head to hide his eyes from the sight of the disappearing ground.

**xoXoxOxoXox**

Saphira landed in the sparring field in a cloud of dust and grass. Roran stumbled of the dragon and placed his forehead to the ground. A group of elves surrounded the sparring field sending out greetings to Saphira and second to Eragon. 

Eragon stepped off Saphira in a one graceful motion and landed right in front of Vanir, his old sparring rival.

The blond elf bowed and pressed two fingers to his lips, "Eragon Shur'tugal! Atra esterni ono thelduin."

With a smile he pressed two fingers to his lips. "Vanir finiarel! Atra du evarínya ono varda."

"Un atra mor'ranr lifa unin hjarta onr." They laughed and embraced each other.

Roran, feeling as if he had missed something, coughed politely. Vanir turned and gazed at him with penetrating grey eyes. "Cà maois adhart ais?" Who might this be

Eragon nodded to his cousin and said in his native tongue, "This be my cousin, Roran Stronghammer. He single-handedly saved our entire village from the Empire and the Raz'ac." Roran lifted a hand to shake in greeting but Vanir ignored it and bowed in the fashion in which he had seen Eragon do.

"Roran! Atra esterni ono thelduin." Vanir murmured between his fingers. Roran looked to Eragon for help who in turn told Vanir that his cousin knew not of the Ancient language but for a few words.

"Ah. Worry not, Brìghòrd, you will learn in due time." Vanir said in a highly disgusted voice. Vanir took Eragon by the arm and began whispering to him in the Ancient Language... they walked away towards a beautiful group of trees shaped in the ways of a large palace.  
_  
Eragon has suggested that I take you to where we will be saying, _Saphira said through her mind.

Still in awe of the way the elves treated Eragon compared to himself he went with Saphira without questioning or complaining... he had a feeling that he needed to catch up on some sleep, and some learning.

**xoXoxOxoXox**

Eragon drew himself aside from the immense celebration that was held in victory of the war won just a few weeks ago to speak with Saphira._ How is he?_

Saphira snorted and he felt a bit of irritation through their link. _You disregarded him just as you would if you were a higher being. Remember, Eragon, that you are here for more training and to help Roran. Not to partake in the wild celebrations of the elves and become reacquainted that you have not seen for a mere 2 weeks. Roran has not seen Katrina for over a month. Get your head in the game here, Eragon._

Eragon sighed in reply. _This is no game, Saphira. It's war._

A few minutes later he bid his friend's goodbye and bowed to Islanzadi before leaving. He and Saphira flew out to their treehome, where he saw Roran was sleeping in his bed. Eragon groaned and pulled a blanket out of a near closet, opting for sleeping in the bathtub rather than in the same bed as his cousin. The moment his head hit the makeshift cloak-pillow he was asleep 

_A young blond woman leaned over the edge of the chair and wiped tears off of a dark haired man's face. "I give good advice, don't I." the girl said proudly, straightening. The man nodded in agreement and stared into the fire._

_The man lifted an arm around the girl's waste and pulled her onto his lap. Confusion riddled her face. Eragon dared to move forward to see who the couple was. He gasped, it was the same girl from his dream awhile back, the girl with the gedwey ignasia... and... Murtagh?!_

_Murtagh lifted the girl's face and pressed his lips against hers. She sighed and leaned in. Eragon took a step back in disgust... and felt a wave of disappointment pull from his stomach... Murtagh gets the girl... Typical._

_He rolled his eyes. Suddenly the girl looked straight at him and gasped. She ripped herself away from Murtagh. "I've got to go." she murmured looking back at Eragon. She ran out of the room pulling her cloak tightly around her._

_"ARIEN! Wait!" Murtagh yelled jumping to his feet but immediately sat back down heaving a sigh and glanced at the large red dragon in the corner. "I suppose you're right... I'm guessing that Eragon is faring much better with fair ladies than I."_

_Eragon scoffed at his brother and rushed to follow the girl by the name of Arien. She ran through a large cavern. He looked up to see a large black dragon... slightly smaller than Glaedr. He shuddered to have finally seen Shruikan... it was fairly intimidating. _

_After winding through many different corridors they finally winded up in a small bedroom just off of a large living room with a fireplace. The room was decorated with large tapestries of battles and knights wooing ladies. Statues of a man with a dragon egg sat in a corner with cobwebs connecting it to the corner.  
_

_"Arien, it's late, you should be sleeping." A dark haired boy said said from his writing desk, he was quickly covering his notes with blank sheets of paper and inkwells. The boy was just as tall as Arien, and his facial features were exactly the same, except more masculine._

_"I would say the same to you, but it seems that you have something important to be doing." Arien murmured yanking a pair of trousers out of the chest at the foot of his bed. As she pulled them on she shook with a continued impatience, or was it nervousness_

_"Something's troubling you... I feel it." the boy said turning his chair to face Arien. She glowered at the floor obviously trying to block her mind from the boy. "Our connection is strong, Arien, don't try to block me. I'm not trying to get into your mind."_

_Tears poured out of Arien eyes as she told her story about how Murtagh kissed her and how she felt when he did... She told him about the vision she saw of a boy who looked like an elf with blond hair and brown eyes... (Eragon smirked at this, So she did see me)... And how frightened she was because a rush of unidentifiable emotions filled her mind and soul without warning. At the end of her story the boy was next to me holding her in a brotherly hug._

_"I don't even know the person," Arien whispered into his shoulder, "All I know is that I've seen him before... I don't know how... but I know I have!"_

_Eragon pulled his face in a wince... he was confused, and concerned for the girl's welfare. Arien gasped again looking straight at Eragon but immediately hid her face in the boy's shoulder again. "Make it stop, Colemnae!" she said loudly, and in a whisper she added, "please."_

**xoXoxOxoXox**

Eragon awoke with a start, sun light drifted across the room from the membrane that covered the large windows of the tree-home. He groaned and rolled out of the bath tub glaring at the still sleeping Roran. 

_You had the dream again, didn't you, little one. _Saphira asked, resting her head on the dais. He glared and ignored the question, instead he picked up a cup of water and dumped a bowl of fruit onto the tray of food.

_  
I'm going to scry that girl. I can't stand not knowing what is going on. _He said to his dragon kneeling beside the bowl of water. 

"Draumr Kopa." he said.

The vision startled him. Arien stood before a large black dragon, quivering with fear. She was speaking but he could not hear her. When he changed the spell so he could hear, he immediately knew it was a terrible idea.

A loud roar hit his ears but he forced himself to hold the spell.

"Oh, shut your mouth." Arien muttered, her knees obviously becoming weak. "I'm leaving, you don't have to become all territorial. Not that this is much of a place to be territorial over."

Eragon smirked, it was true, the marble was scratched and burn marks were everywhere... the same place as his dream. A dragonhold.

Arien tiptoed over to where the long hall started towards Murtagh's rooms and dropped a slip of paper. "Maybe..." she took a step towards the room but stopped herself short and abruptly turned and walked out. "no."

Eragon released the stream of magic and leaned back against the four poster bed. "Who were you scrying?" Eragon turned and met eyes with Roran

"Now isn't the time,Roran." Eragon growled. He glanced at the timepiece on the bedside table. "I've got to meet with Oromis. Maybe he'll have more answers than I can convey from scrying."

**xoXoxOxoXox**

A/N: This chapter is really really crappy! and i apologize to my readers! I knew I had writers block!! Suggestions welcome!!! PLEASE!! I BEG OF YOU!!! SUGGESTIONS!! O by the way. The language I used for the Ancient Language is a form of Gaelic (irish)) I think i already mentioned it but... yeah... there it is again! 


	7. Fly and History

**A/N: **yeah I'm having a bunch of brilliant ideas but they don't come until later!! I know the middle and the end i just suck at this whole part right now... UGH!!

**Dreamin Angel:** lol. I have concluded that Murtagh is indeed a babe... buuuut Eragon is still the hottest of them all :P My family is half Irish, my grandmother moved here 56 years ago from Ireland and she spoke Gaelic to me all the time when I was little. She died a few years back. And when I read the Ancient Language in Eragon and Eldest it reminded me of the way she used to talk so I just applied it to my works to make it seem more real and a kind of memory to her (she's always an inspiration in my art and writing). The look of Arien (royal) is partialy inspired by my sister, (she has blond hair) and her real look (undyed hair) is like me. (thought I might throw that bit of info out there. lol yeah um, Roran biting Eragon's bite... that may be a little awkward for both of them. OH! If I cam off as if Arien gets both Murtagh and Eragon... then I'm sorry, I don't mean it that way at all!! You'll just have to wait and see how things turn out! She hasn't even met Eragon yet!!

**xoXoxOxoXox**

Arien's POV

I dropped the letter at the entrance of the hall where Murtagh's room sat. I was very tempted to run into his room and explain how I was feeling, but I resisted and pulled away to the stables just outside the dragonhold, glaring at Shruikan the whole way out.

I groaned when I saw that Murtagh was waiting just outside the stables instead of sleeping soundly in his rooms. _So much for that letter._ I thought angrily. Four horses awaited me upon my arrival. Two were simply pack horses and two were for riding.

"Arien, I've been waiting for you for over ten minutes." Colemnae growled impatiently. "I would like to make it to Helgrind, before the elves die!"

I eyed Murtagh warily and mounted Séreméla. "Will you be joining us, Master Murtagh?" I asked politely, self consciously smoothing an eyebrow with my pinky. I tried to seem as though I didn't care for the situation and became distracted with my perfectly manicured fingernails.

"Yes, m'lady, I am to accompany you both to Helgrind, and back." he murmured, doing his best to meet my eyes. I looked over my shoulder and around the courtyard, attempting to appear as if I was waiting for something more interesting to happen.

Colemnae took hold of my wrist and stared me straight in the eyes. _You're not making your situation with Murtagh any better. You're actually hurting his feelings... you make it seem as if last night never happened... as if you two were never friends. _I gave him a cold stare and stabbed his mind with a chilly dagger. _Fine, just remember, he's coming with us. So whether you like it or not, we are going to be spending the next few weeks with him and Thorn._

I sighed and nodded in agreement. Colemnae was right... The fact that I was resorting to childish sarcasm only made me feel worse, instead of better. Just when I was beginning to feel powerful over Murtagh I was shut down by my own brother. "Let's go, boys." I muttered pressing Séreméla onward.

**xoXoxOxoXox**

That night I sat by the fire listening to the heavy breaths of Thorn from across the clearing. I steadily cleared my mind and reached out into the void that I guessed was my connection to Telemnar.  
_  
Hello??_ I called tentatively.

_I'm here_. Telemnar replied. His voice was unexpectedly strong. My surprise must of been obvious to Telemnar for he laughed softly. _I'm here._ A shiver of fear ran down my back as realization dawned on me that Telemnar had followed me on my journey.

_What are you thinking!!_ I nearly screeched through my connection. _If Thorn or Murtagh senses your presence then you and I are undeniably in an incredible amount of trouble with my father._ I felt a scoff and I growled, _my father and Murtagh are connected through dark magic., he will find out. and we will only get one of two options. _

_And those would be?_

_Well... one: die, or two: join forces with him and learn the forbidden words of power that will make us the most dangerous beings in all of Alagaesia. _I was fairly mad and did not bother to hide my emotions from my face. I opened my eyes and glanced around the fire. Murtagh and Colemnae were busy in a separate conversation about the difference between frogs and toads, an interesting topic to be sure, so they did not notice me making random faces.

_Do not worry, I wont let him hurt us._ I rolled my eyes and was about to break our connection when he continued speaking, _Will you come see me, little one? _Telemnar asked. I looked over at the boys once again and excused myself from the camp to "do some ladies business."

I followed the images that Telemnar sent me and met up with him only a few yards away from the camp. _You are so close!! _I hissed to him sitting beside his large torso. Over the weeks he had grown to be nearly 12 feet taller than myself. I stroked his long neck downwards so as not to cut my hands on the large dagger sharp scales._ How do you blend so well?? You're so shiny!!_

_The same as you blend among the servants when visiting your fathers library._ I glared at him and silently agreed. _I am as green as the surrounding forrest and I can roll in dirt as well, whereas you can redress into anything you want in order to seem a part of one group or another._

I laughed and rolled my eyes. I stood up and climbed onto his back sitting in the groove of Telemnar's neck. _Is this alright?_

_Yes. _His amused voice angered me and I threatened to get down. _I suggest you hold on instead.,_

_What?!?!_

I clamped my mouth shut, wrapped my arms tightly around Telemnar's neck, and ducked my head close to my chest. Fear clutched my heart and ripping pain from my legs punctuated it. _Your scales are hurting me!! _I carefully released my hands from the thick green neck and pulled my cloak off to stuff it between my legs. _Ow_. I thought when I saw the ripped skin on my thighs.

_Hold on. I want to try something! _Telemnar said. I pulled myself closer to his warm scales as he tumbled through the air. As he flew straight through the air I lifted my head again and pulled my arms out straight, spreading them as if I was they were wings. Down below I could see green tops of trees, no clearings, just trees.

_They can't see us!_ I laughed out loud in happiness.

_How do you feel?_ Telemnar asked, setting an emerald eye on me.

The wind blew cool tendrils of air in my hair, tossing it out of its braid and making it a part of the sky. The diamonds against the velvet black veil of the night sky blinked at me, almost as if greeting me, and giving me an approval. The smell of dew wafted around me and the icy glare of the wind wipped around me, accepting me into their world. I was a part of the sky.

_Free._ I thought in a whisper. _I feel as though I'll never have to be under the control of my father, Murtagh, or Colemnae ever again. I feel as though I will be able to act like I never have before. I feel like I can do whatever I want without fearing what others will think or whether I will be getting into trouble._

_I don't want you to ever feel that way again._ Telemnar said._ But I think it is time you return to camp before Murtagh starts suspecting something. I sent him a questioning emotion to which he replied, He watched you leave, he's in love with you Arien._

**xoXoxOxoXox**

I limped back to camp and crawled under the covers of my bedroll. I shoved my pillow into a softer position and hit a hard bulge. Under my pillow was a leather book with unfilled pages. I lifted the leather cover of the book and smiled. On the first page was written A place for you to keep all of your thoughts and emotions, without the fear of being judged by others. Murtagh.

He's so good to me. And yet I treat him as if he doesn't matter. I told Telemnar, closing my eyes for the night. I'm a terrible person, aren't I?

Yes.

I frowned. That was a rhetorical question.

Telemnar scoffed in reply. Sleep, little one.

**  
xoXoxOxoXox**  
Eragon's POV

He bent his back so he was in a tight arc backwards. "Master, I came here to ask questions, not perform more Rimgar or, gasp learn anything more."

Oromis looked over at his pupil from the his seat a few feet away. "I care not what you came here for. I want to talk to a boy with a clear mind, not a noodle brain who can't keep his thoughts in order."

Eragon grunted and cleared his mind. _I dont know how I stand this._ he told Saphira haughtily.

_You stand it because you made a deal with Oromis that you would do all he said. Stop being silly and speak with him of your dreams, while I fetch Roran._

Eragon smiled and pulled himself out of his bodily knot, _poor Roran, I hope he has a stronger stomach today._ "Master. I was wondering if you could explain to me, yet again, of how my dreams of Arya being captured by the shade and Murtagh and I, come to pass."

Oromis blinked at Eragon, his features completely impassive. "You've had another dream, Eragon?"

He dropped his head in a nod, "Yes, master. And I have successfully scryed her. She is a real person." And he went on to explain his surreal dream of the liquid fire, and of her with Murtagh and her brother, he made certain to leave out the more intimate details. "The girl's name was Arien, and the boy's name was Colemnae. They spoke with a northern accent. They were obviously brother and sister, because they looked much alike. Their facial features were exactly the same except for one was more feminine than the other and that their hair was different colors.

Oromis pursed his lips in thought, his face was most certainly troubled, and pulled a wooden tablet from a pile of papers beside him on the ground. "Make me a fairth of this dream girl. Their names sound familiar, as if a distant whisper in the wind."

Eragon tried to hold back his distaste for the oncoming riddles from his masters lips. He stared at the tablet and brought forth the image of the girl and boy using magic. His tired body from that morning's use of magic only became more tired as he felt the strength leave his body and enter the tablet.

"There," Eragon coughed, gripping the back of Oromis' chair to keep himself from swaying. The farith was an exact likeness of the two teenagers.

The girl had a long braid that was pulled forward over her shoulder so it ran down her left arm, her nose was brought to a sharp point and her eyes were very large and slightly squared. Her cheek bones and jawbones were also square but slanted slightly. Her brother, Colemnae, was the same, but his dark hair was cut short and stood out at different angles, and his eyes were more serious and sad compared to Arien's intense and curious ones.

"Barzul." Oromis muttered angrily pulling the tablet closer to his eyes. Eragon was startled to hear his master swear in such a crude language but pushed it aside to ask him what was the matter. After a long pause Oromis said, "This girl is related to Josian Rodier, the princess of the Northern Territory of Du Weldenvarden."

Eragon raised a questioning eyebrow. "I thought that only elves lived in Du Weldenvarden."

Oromis lifted himself out of his chair in a huff, "It seems that we are in for another history lesson."

He led them into a small room off of the deck that was filled with older books. "Josian Rodier was born three hundred and fourty years ago, to the King of Terre, a city far north of here. Therefore she is the princess. But the people of Terre are not elves... nor are they humans. They are faeries."

Eragon forced back a laugh and stared at Oromis amusadely, "I think I would know whether or not I was looking at a fairy, master, for she did not have wings, nor was she very small—"

"I do not mean the fairy's in your human tales. These are faeries. A faeri is the race that closes the gap of difference between elves and humans. They much resemble Riders, but not as angular. They live a long life, just as long as Riders. Their people are fair but are not nearly as perfect as an elf's features. They are capable of speaking three different languages, your native tongue, the ancient language, and their own language which is no where near similar to the Ancient language or English. It is more of a flow of words, not as harsh, but it is definately more complicated. The conjugation of words is between feminine and masculine, and its just too confusing." Eragon sighed loudly as an indicator that he was rambling. "Sorry, let me continue with the history. Long ago the people of Terre believed that the way of the elves was too easy of a life, but the way of the humans too difficult. So they set up their life in paradise north of Ellesmera, Islanzadi's husband gave them the land in return for peace.

"As a result of such they mixed cultures with elves and humans, making themselves mortal, but still have long life. Their architecture resembles that of the elves, but has some human twists. In their culture they use minimum magic, for after years of their new lifestyle they lost their ability to use much magic. Only the men are capable of using imense amounts of magic at one time, they are even more capable of magic than the elves. Women are easily the best beings in the art of hand to hand combat. They are even capable of killing an elf who is armed with a sword, though they are not very skilled at sword fighting unless they are trained by a faeri sword master, which is very rare, for faeri's believe that having a skill that you were not born with is wrong. Sword fighting, is not in their blood, their ability to defend themselves by hand to hand combat is how they survive. Bows and Arrows are used for hunting, for, unlike our tradition, they eat meat.

"The life span of a faeri is also very strange. They age just as quickly as a Rider does. Their aging process is normal until they turn the age of 16, the time they become adults. From that time on every 20 years will be another year of aging for them. Just as yours is now that your dragon's magic has prolonged your life.

"Most faeri children are born in a set of twins. On some rare occasions there is only a single child but they usually do not survive long. Faeri children are connected to their twin siblings just as you and Saphira are connected. They know eachother more intimately than any other being can or ever will. Once one sibling dies the survivor often has a certain kind of reaction to the loss, such as, going mad; dying shortly their sibling for they are so connected that they basically shared lives; and there is even a few written accounts where the sibling is present at the death of his or her other half and all the life from the dying twin will be transferred into the healthy one, making him or her willing to live on.

Eragon gazed off into the distance in thought, "So this girl, is a Faeri Princess?"

Oromis scowled, "Yes, and unfortunately she is also a human princess." The corner of his lips were tugged slightly downward as he went on, "Josian was kidnapped by the King's men nearly 16 years ago because the king was looking for a new wife. Unfortunately Josian was visiting a human friend, from the Varden, and she was forced to marry the King. She gave birth to two children whom she named Arien Rodier, and Colemnae Rodier. Josian continued to work for the faeries as a spy for her people as well as for the Varden. She died when the children were eight by poison commanded by the King's hand. The children were never aware that their mother had put all of their lives in danger, so the king took them into his home and has raised them under his roof. Arien, I'm guessing, is being trained to be a lady of the court, and is betrothed to your brother. She is probably forced to stay in her quarters for long periods of time in order for her to remain as pale as a noble lady should look, and she must be forced to dye her hair blonde for, no doubt, if she is going to be a noble lady she must be fair looking. Colemnae, being the magical one of the two, is being trained by the king himself to become a magician of war."

"Are the Varden aware of this?"

Oromis shook his head and shrugged, "I am not sure. It is common knowlege under the people of the Empire, most of them must know anyway."

"How many accounts are there of Faeri Riders... for this girl had a gedwey ignasia." Eragon murmured in question.

Ormois' eyes widened in shock, "You did not mention this, Eragon." he blushed in response and hung his head. "On the account of having a faeri man becoming a Rider, he would be the most powerful magician in the history of Alagaesia, fortunately there have never been such accounts. But there have been three accounts of faeri women. Veronique-Elisabeth, Bverani, and Clarista. All three were amazing with their magic. Upon contact with their dragons they were capable of using magic just as the elves do naturally."

"That kind of power... its... unreal." Eragon muttered. "So.. as she continues her training she may become more powerful... she could become more powerful than Galbatorix himself."

Oromis smiled and nodded. "That is correct."

"If she sides with Galbatorix, we're all as good as dead."

"Yes." Oromis said with remorse dripping from his tone.

_Damn. _Eragon thought, tiredly rubbing his eyes.

**  
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**xoXoxOxoXox**

**A/N:** okiedokie! that was the part of the lovely history of Arien and her brother... just wait to see what I've got in store for her later!! HAHAAAAAAA. I'm an evil authoress.


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